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Just a few weeks into the 2024 MLB season, there is no shortage of fantasy baseball hurlers dealing with ailments. That said, let's take a look at injured pitchers Yu Darvish, Gerrit Cole, Kodai Senga, Kyle Bradish, Eduardo Rodriguez, Robert Stephenson, Jameson Taillon, and more.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for pitchers as of April 18, 2024. Whether your top ace is out of action, or a depth player is banged up, some players on this list are sure to affect fantasy baseball lineup decisions.
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Yu Darvish Injury Update
The San Diego Padres placed right-hander Yu Darvish (neck) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 15) with neck tightness on Wednesday and recalled right-hander Logan Gillaspie from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move. It's unclear as of now if Darvish has a realistic chance to return from the IL when he's eligible on April 30, but the 37-year-old will miss at least the next couple of weeks.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/n7f7lkSuim
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 17, 2024
San Diego's starting pitching depth will be tested in the season's first month, and it's not clear yet who the main candidates are to take Darvish's spot. In his first five starts of 2024, Darvish had posted a 4.18 ERA (3.88 FIP) and 1.27 WHIP with 10 walks and 22 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings pitched. Keep the five-time All-Star stashed in an IL spot for now in fantasy leagues.
Gerrit Cole Injury Update
New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (elbow) played catch again on Wednesday in New York, which was his first time doing so on back-to-back days after increasing his throwing distance to 75 feet on Tuesday. Manager Aaron Boone said there is no set date for Cole to get on a mound, though.
Gerrit Cole will play catch again today in New York, his first time doing so on back-to-back days. Aaron Boone said there is no set date for Cole to get on a mound as he continues to build stamina.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) April 17, 2024
The Yankees will continue to take things slowly with the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, who is building his stamina back up. If all continues to go well in his recovery from discomfort in his right elbow, Cole has a chance to return to New York's rotation when he's first eligible to come off the 60-day injured list in early June. Right-handers Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil should continue making starts for the Yanks through the month of May at least, but the two hurlers are only low-end fantasy streamers under the appropriate circumstances.
Kodai Senga Injury Update
New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (shoulder) threw his first bullpen session on Tuesday. It's a significant step forward for Senga, who is recovering from a right posterior shoulder capsule strain. With the Mets having him pitch every six days instead of every five, however, Senga's ramp-up process could extend a bit longer than expected. The 31-year-old All-Star right-hander is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on May 27, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to be available until early June at best based on the way the team is handling their ace's recovery.
Right-hander Jose Butto is helping fill in New York's rotation for the time being, allowing just one run with 15 strikeouts over 12 innings (two starts) to begin the 2024 season. Butto should be an adequate streamer in favorable situations, but Saturday's scheduled start on the road against a vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers lineup is not one of them. (MLB.com)
Kyle Bradish Injury Update
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish (elbow) looked good in his first minor-league rehab start with Double-A Bowie on Tuesday, tossing three shutout innings with just one hit allowed, no walks, and four strikeouts. It was a very promising first appearance for a pitcher who is trying to avoid needing surgery after being diagnosed with a partially torn UCL in spring training. The 27-year-old is going to need probably a few more starts in the minors before the Orioles feel comfortable activating him from the injured list for his season debut in the big leagues.
Fantasy managers in mixed leagues should consider stashing Bradish soon for extra pitching depth after he had a breakout for the O's in 2023. The former fourth-rounder in 2018 by the Los Angeles Angels out of New Mexico State went 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 44 walks and 168 K's in 30 starts a year ago. (MILB.com)
Eduardo Rodriguez Injury Update
The Arizona Diamondbacks moved left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. Rodriguez recently suffered a setback with his left shoulder and now won't be able to return to Arizona's starting rotation until late May. The oft-injured 31-year-old southpaw pitched well in his final season with the Detroit Tigers in 2023 but was in line for regression with his move to the desert.
Today's #Dbacks roster moves. pic.twitter.com/SBmEXxeRV4
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 17, 2024
Now that he's been unable to stay healthy early on in 2024, fantasy baseball managers in mixed leagues should probably look for better options instead of keeping him stashed in an IL spot. The good news for the D-backs is lefty Jordan Montgomery is set to join the rotation to make his season debut later this week.
Robert Stephenson Injury Update
The Los Angeles Angels announced on Wednesday that relief pitcher Robert Stephenson (shoulder, elbow) will miss the rest of the 2024 season due to an elbow injury, and they'll have more details on his setback on Thursday. Working his way back from discomfort in his right shoulder, Stephenson was removed from his first rehab minor-league appearance on Sunday after facing just one hitter and feeling something in his right elbow.
The Angels announced Robert Stephenson will miss the season with an elbow injury. They’ll have more detail on him tomorrow.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) April 18, 2024
The hard-throwing 31-year-old right-hander signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Halos after notching a 2.35 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, and 60:8 K: BB over 38 1/3 innings with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, and it's worth noting he dealt with inflammation in his right elbow in 2023. Carlos Estevez will be leaned on for ninth-inning work in Anaheim's bullpen for the remainder of the year, and he's converted three of his first four saves while giving up only two runs with a 5:0 K: BB in six innings.
Garrett Whitlock Injury Update
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that right-hander Garrett Whitlock (oblique) is going on the 15-day injured list after straining his left oblique in his start on Tuesday versus the Cleveland Guardians. The Red Sox are primarily playing it safe with the move, and the hope is to activate him as soon as he's eligible. Pitcher Joe Jacques is being called up from the minors in a corresponding move. It's a tough break for the 27-year-old Whitlock early in the year, but the silver lining is that it shouldn't keep him out for too long.
Alex Cora says Garrett Whitlock is going to the IL. Primarily just to play it safe and hope is to activate him as soon as he’s eligible. Joe Jacques being called up to fill his spot.
Rafael Devers is in the lineup at DH today. More injury updates to come.
— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) April 17, 2024
Before getting hurt on Tuesday, the former 18th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2017 was 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA (3.41 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with seven walks and 17 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings over four starts. It's unclear who will enter Boston's starting rotation as a result of Whitlock's injury, but veteran Chase Anderson could be a candidate.
Jameson Taillon Injury Update
Chicago Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (back) is penciled in to make his season debut on Thursday in the series opener against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Taillon started the 2024 regular season on the 15-day injured list but is ready to get his season started. The 32-year-old veteran only threw 68 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in his final minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Iowa last Friday, so nobody should be expecting him to go very deep in his first big-league start of the year.
The matchup against Miami is enticing from a streaming standpoint, but Taillon doesn't figure to go deep into this one, making him a pretty low-upside streamer. Now that Taillon is getting ready to return, the impressive Ben Brown could be out of a rotation spot. (MLB.com)
A.J. Puk Injury Update
Left-hander A.J. Puk (illness) has been confirmed as the Miami Marlins' starter for Thursday's series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. After dealing with an illness in recent days, Puk was back at the ballpark on Wednesday playing catch and working out. The 28-year-old southpaw was pushed back twice in the rotation this week while feeling under the weather.
A.J. Puk is confirmed to start tomorrow’s series opener at Wrigley Field.
He was back at the ballpark today playing catch, etc. #Marlins
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) April 17, 2024
It's good news that Puk is feeling good enough to start on Thursday, but most fantasy baseball managers will probably want to stay away from him against Chicago after he's started the year by going 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA (6.90 FIP) and 2.44 WHIP with a league-leading 14 walks and just eight strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings in his first three starts.
Taijuan Walker Injury Update
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session on Friday and could be activated from the injured list after that. It sounds as though the Phillies have liked what they've seen from Walker's two minor-league rehab starts after they initially said they wanted to see him make four rehab starts before joining the big-league starting rotation.
Taijuan Walker is going to throw a bullpen session Friday. There’s a chance he is activated from IL after that. Stay tuned.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) April 17, 2024
The 31-year-old veteran could make his 2024 debut for the Phils on Monday in what would be an excellent matchup at home against the punchless Chicago White Sox. Even though it would be Walker's first start of the year, he'd be a pretty attractive fantasy streamer in the great matchup. The most in danger of losing their current rotation spot in Philly could be Spencer Turnbull with Walker's return on the horizon.
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